


No to Farewell

by pastaaoi



Category: Genshin Impact - Fandom
Genre: 1.1 update spoilers, Angst, Angst and Humor, Angst and Romance, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Fluff and Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-13
Updated: 2020-11-18
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:55:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27615205
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pastaaoi/pseuds/pastaaoi
Summary: In an attempt to get the gnosis from the Exuvia in the Golden House, Childe and Lumine fight. He was excited to finally battle her, but one moment of carelessness leaves her injured, leaving regret and whatever feelings he had wished to better forget.
Relationships: Tartaglia | Childe/Ying | Lumine (Genshin Impact)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 200





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> inspiration from the fanart of @hs_teetee from twitter  
> Do be sure to check them out! https://twitter.com/hs_teetee/status/1327246508840808450?s=20

For a moment, Childe forgot what he came here for. It was just one slip-up, and Lumine was not able to dodge. He watched as she fell to the ground and readied himself for her to get up. He grinned in anticipation, looking forward to what move she would make next. 

But she didn’t.

He watched as she bled as she lay on the ground, her chest heaving as she tried to get up, her grip on her sword tightening and loosening as she tried to gather her energy despite the pain. Paimon remained floating around her in anxiousness. “Lumine! Are you alright?! What are you doing? Get up!” the floating fairy would yell with more urgency than usual, and it was like her voice snapped Tartaglia from his excitement. 

He almost dropped his weapon. Before he knew it, he was running towards her. Paimon, despite not having any weapon with her, would go in front of Lumine’s body, as if ready to shield her. “You!” she would furiously voice out. “Don’t even think of doing anything!” 

She was naturally afraid that he would hurt her further, but the man’s expression made her stop her stomping mid-air. He had an unreadable expression in his face, but it was none of the faces he had shown them before. Whether he had been acting or giving them some of his real expressions as they talked together during their adventures in Liyue, all those did not matter because his expression right then was more genuine than everything he had shown them before, and it also showed all the evident hurt and worry and guilt that flashed consecutively as he ran over.

“Lumine!” Ignoring Paimon earlier cries, he had already dashed to her side, her composure breaking, his voice having a tinge of panic despite his obvious attempt to control. But he could only control so much of his real feelings. His days with Traveler, Paimon, Zhongli, all those would also come across his mind as he feared what he had done, and he looked...utterly broken.

Lumine couldn’t help but smile still, as she felt him wrap his arm around her smaller body and look down at her. She would weakly hold up her hand to his cheek as she would look at his eyes, feeling relieved that he wasn’t all fake. Their friendship, their time together wasn’t all a lie, at least. She didn’t know if she would die at this moment, and she knew she had a lot of regrets. Aether, her friends back in Monstadt, Venti and his gnosis, Rex Lapis, the Qixing, all those important matters...but at least Childe wouldn’t be one of them. 

“I’m sorry. I...” It was at this moment when he suddenly realized how important she meant to him and with her in his arms like this, he would hold her, but so weakly as if he was afraid that she would break. But could he abandon his mission for her if it meant she would live?


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Childe finds out it was Zhongli's plan all along.

He had almost abandoned his mission for her. It was a half-assed attempt of getting the gnosis that wasn’t even there. He had hurt her for nothing. As he looked around the Golden House and the exuvia in rage, if Lumine had been conscious, she would have attempted to stop him as he flew into madness and finally continued his back-up plan anyway. 

And as Osial was awakened, Paimon was naturally conflicted and panicked at the same time. She would call for the man to stop, but it was as if he wasn’t hearing anything, simply carrying Lumine away after doing some messy first aid. It was definitely rough and done quick. As Childe escaped the Golden House in a flash, he looked as if crazed, his eyes having a sense of danger and urgency in them, no longer having the cheerful gleam it once had in the past. The floating fairy would try to catch up, even if Childe was at the moment the fastest of his form that she had seen. If Lumine was awake, she’d probably get goosebumps. 

There was no mistaking the desperation in his eyes and his movements. He cared about her despite being a Harbinger. He didn’t want her to die. He still had his mission, but he did it. He had awakened the old god, and he vowed that he would also bring Lumine to safety, to live. He would not allow her to die. No, he would have both. He can’t lose her. He had not had his fill of fun yet. Ojou-chan, don’t you dare die. 

He ended up at Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. Obviously he couldn’t leave her in the Golden House. She would have no means of surviving. It wasn’t like Paimon could carry her out! It wasn’t like he could drop her off in other places in Liyue either after he had done this to her. He was crazy for battle but he wasn’t dumb! 

“Consultant!” he urgently shouted as he burst into the building with the bleeding girl in his arms. “She needs help!” He didn’t even notice how his voice had changed. It was more raw, more hurt, more like the silly boy he once was. He felt weaker again. He felt like he had miscalculated and gambled. He shouldn’t have gambled with her life, of all things! But what shocked him was that it wasn’t only Zhongli that was there but also...La Signora. 

He felt his heart grow cold as he looked in confusion and in shock, yet somehow...somehow he knew. He had been feeling suspicious, after all...but to be used! Could it be? Or else, why would the two be together? Still, remembering what he had come for as he felt the weight in his arms once more, he would ask Zhongli for help, no matter the dread in his stomach.

In the end, he couldn’t accept Morax's explanation. In an alternate universe, he probably could and his reaction probably wouldn’t be as intense. Although Lumine was now in the clear and she didn’t look as pained as before, he still couldn’t bear looking at her like that. 

Once upon a time, he was intrigued by Zhongli’s identity. He was curious about his ability and wanted to unravel the mystery behind his suspicions one day, but at this moment, he couldn’t help but wish that it was all a lie. It was because of him, this god-no-man, that it came to this.

“So we were just used? Is her life so dispensable to you?” he roared. 

He did not care about the fact that Signora was still there, and he didn’t even notice the woman let out a soft huff as she left despite looking amused at the show she was watching. She was quite wise to leave because at that moment, Tartaglia looked like he was about to charge at Zhongli and fight him, his thirst for battle and stronger opponents matching his anger. The long-awaited battle he wanted was about to happen now until…

“Wait!” The high-pitched voice he neglected until now came to snap him out of his thoughts at the last second, just as he was about to reach the silent man in front of him. “If you fight now, she’d have nowhere to recuperate!” As he was beginning to see reason, he could now also see the guilt in the man’s eyes as well. 

He would simply tightly grip his weapon, loosen his hold, and then tighten again. He tightly closed his eyes, as if afraid to lose reason again. It hurt to stop himself like this. He so badly wanted to scream and thrash everything away, but as he looked at the girl’s condition, he willed the coming tears away. He threw away his weapon. 

His Adam's apple bobbed as he bitterly swallowed all the erupting feelings, and he held the young woman in his arms, careful not to touch her wound. This time, he got lucky. But what about next time? What if...What if he had attacked another spot? What if she was more injured than now? The chaos outside as the old god Osial couldn’t even compare to the emotions he felt inside. 

The next time, he couldn’t be as careless again. This, he thought as he buried his face in her soft, blonde hair, as he cherished her warmth once more. This would be the last time. Did he still have the right to even be with her like this after all? To go back to their former friendship? Perhaps not. Perhaps he’d lose two friends this time. He was so reluctant to let go. Still, willing his heart, he knew he had to. At least she was alive. Thankfully. 

Thank god...wait.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> jelly Childe

Lumine woke up with a parched throat in an unfamiliar room. She felt quite weak and groggy, with moments of confusion. Just what the hell happened? She could feel a sharp pain near her abdomen and suddenly, she could recall a bit of what had happened. She then let out a tired sigh. She’s alive! Though in pain, she couldn’t help but feel relieved. Still in bed, she would try to take in her surroundings. As she thought, she didn’t know the place, but a sharp voice startled her and she couldn’t help but feel pain in her head. 

She let out a soft groan, only to see that it was Paimon who had shouted in surprise upon seeing her wake up, followed by a feminine voice. It was a voice she knew well, naturally, Ningguang. 

“She had only just woken up. Don’t startle her,” the woman had said, and Paimon would let out an “Ah!” of realization. 

“Oh, right! Anyway,” the fairy would float over to her, “how are you feeling? Are you alright? He really did injure you quite well.” She then frowned a bit. “Thankfully, you were brought to Zhongli’s place or well...rather…” She seemed to hesitate a bit but then remembered something. “Wait, you must be thirsty-” It seemed that the Qixing secretaries were quite prepared though and was already serving Lumine the beverage. 

Truly, everything was too much to take in. What Rex Lapis? What jade chamber? For someone who had almost died, this was really a drag; however, these too were important matters. Lumine felt quite conflicted and guilty about not being able to help. Looking at Ningguang, she knew that the Jade Chamber was important to her, and this gave her a bit of a melancholic feeling.

But to Zhongli, who had all of these in his plans, she felt even more conflicted. Everything was quite unbelievable and she suddenly felt a bit muddled. Zhongli, as much as his expression allowed him, did look like he felt bad. They seemed to be in the middle of discussing their next courses of action when she had woken up, and it had been a few days since Childe...Childe! 

Upon the sudden realization, she then wondered what had happened to him. Though she knew the man did wrong, she still felt worry. She had been injured by him, but here she was, thinking about him despite her injuries. Laughable. 

And seeing her reaction, it was as if he had read her mind. “I’m sure you are worried,” the older, well, much older man said, and she would weakly look at him with questioning in her eyes. After what had happened, what happened to Childe? Surely he wasn’t imprisoned right? Zhongli then let out a hum and thought about it. “Well, he left after dropping you off. As of now, I do not know where he is but…” It seemed he knew something and smiled a bit as he drank his tea. “I do not think you’d need to worry about him. The Rite of Parting is soon, and you would still need to ready yourself for that.”

Obviously she couldn’t accept that. Not worry? Sure. He can very well escape on his own despite the rumors about him slaying the Geo Archon and the cover-up mentioning Zhongli’s ‘divine trial,’ but what she couldn’t accept was him leaving just like that. 

She let out a huff. Well! Very well! So he’d just leave her like this? After he looked at her with such an expression, did he really expect that she’d just let him leave like that? On his own? Without a word of farewell? It all just felt so bitter!

“He had also paid for your fees,” the man proceeded to casually say, and she whipped around in anger. She looked so frustrated that she looked like she was about to cry.

The man couldn’t help but quirk up a smile at that but then dropped it upon seeing her annoyance. “Then what about the medicine? He owes me!” Obviously, she wasn’t that petty but she seemed like an old wife getting mad at her old man. “He’s rich anyway!”

“Wait, isn’t that the Fatui’s money?” chimed Paimon, not knowing how to react to this exploding Lumine.

“I don’t care. He’s--”

“You’ll see, at the Rite of Parting,” he said, all-knowingly. It was actually quite frustrating, how he seemed to be playing both of them in his fingers once more.

~~

Childe could not believe what he was seeing. He truthfully still felt quite wronged by what Zhongli did, but the sight in front of him right now, after the Rite of Parting, he couldn’t quite accept it. How could she act the same in front of him, as if nothing had happened? He knew it was quite hypocritical, being the one that left first, but how could they seem as if they had a sort of mutual understanding, as if they knew something no one else did? They had even seemed to have grown closer.

Alright. Who was he kidding? Yes, he was jealous. Immensely. Jealous. And at that moment, he wanted to come down from his hiding place and just challenge the Geo god to battle. He had already wanted to do this! But, no. He couldn’t show himself. He could only bitterly grit his teeth in anger as he watched the two laugh together (with Paimon).

But it was then that she walked away? He actually felt quite conflicted. Who knew it was that he had gotten used to watching them? That he could not help but find himself staring at her at times? How bad had he fallen? When did he start looking forward to seeing her? But as he watched her walk away, he wondered if it would be the last time that he’d be seeing her without being her enemy. He relished in the sight, and then she was gone. He had lost her...forever. He didn’t know how long he had been looking at her already gone figure when he suddenly heard rustling from the leaves behind him.

He immediately turned around. Even if he had his heart broken, his instincts when it came to battle were still top-notch. Just who was it that wanted to disturb him so badly? He just wanted to go, go back to Snezhnaya, go back to work and be distracted. Who the hell wanted to be here? If it was some Millelith, he was prepared to beat the hell out the guy. 

But unexpectedly, he was caught off guard by a familiar scent and a familiar warmth that invaded his senses as he felt a smaller body in his arms. He was surprised. How distracted was he that he didn’t even feel her coming? What...what was happening? Somehow, he felt some tears in his eyes, and he quickly wiped it away. No! 

For a while, no one spoke. In that moment, the two relished the quiet moment. There were so many questions, but actions spoke louder than words, and there was just relief. But it seemed the world didn’t just allow peace as…

Crack.

Childe’s eyes widened as he felt the tree branch they were on break, and quickly, he shielded her injured body from harm as they both fell from the tree. It seemed it couldn’t handle the pressure of two hugging people on it.

“Ojou-chan, are you okay? Are you hurt?” he would immediately say in worry after they had crashed down. He felt her body quiver slightly, and he felt himself panic only to sigh in relief as he felt her soft and pleasant laughter ring out. Tiredly, he would put a hand on his head as he looked at her in his arms, but then he smiled a bit and patted her head.

This was comforting. 

He liked it.

He wished it could go on forever.

“Idiot,” she whispered and then his smile only grew as he actually felt genuinely happy despite being scolded. “You think you could leave without saying goodbye? My treatment isn’t even over yet,” she joked. “Answer for your crimes,” she demanded as she raised her hands to grip his collar.

He couldn’t help but keep smiling. Heck, he felt like an idiot as he pressed their foreheads together. “Mhm. Okay.”

“The next time, I wouldn’t be as careless. Better watch your back,” she said as she kept on tightening her hold.

“Mhm. Alright.” He did prefer that. 

“A-and…” She couldn’t seem to think of anything else.

“The next time, I’ll be recruiting you as Fatui,” he teased.

“Like hell! Just because I…”

“Just because you like me?” he teased. He liked how she seemed to progressively grow redder. Finally, she just gave her forehead a kiss as he heard more footsteps grow closer. He gave her a smirk. “Well, you know what? The next time, I’ll be taking you,” he said in a sing-song voice. “If you weren’t injured, I’d take you to Snezhnaya.” The footsteps were probably Millelith, having heard the crash. “Next time, watch out, ojou-chan. This time, I’ll let you off.” 

Next time...next time...There will definitely be a next time. He won’t allow her to go out of his grasp. With a final wave, he then went away, a big grin on his face, leaving a red-faced blonde young girl with a somehow empty yet anticipating and raising heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, he got played again  
> tfw I feel like this could be a Chili fic if I wanted to lmao  
> And yes, they were laughing at him because Zhongli could see him hiding. I mean, he's a powerful god. lol He probably can and probably knew that Childe was following them during the quest.


End file.
